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Halloween Video Game Traditions
I don't think it's much of a surprise, but I'm not the biggest horror fanatic in the world. Two things that I abhor are an excess of gore and jump scares. Which is unfortunate because that seems to be the most of what horror is nowadays. In the movies it's just a monster going around killing dumbasses because the makers want to show off their CGI (which usually isn't all that impressive). And unfortunately that trend is even worse in video games. Beyond the odd indie fluke like Amnesia: The Dark Descent, most horror games nowadays seem to be action games with zombies or demons or whatever. It may sound weird, but some of my favorite Halloween tradition games, the video games that I play every year in October, aren't horror games. They may be quasi-horror games like Don't Starve or Project Zomboid, but I'm not itching to play the latest Silent Hill or Resident Evil this year, if you know what I mean. But, I thought that I'd give people some recommendations of games that just... feel Halloween. "Halloween" is... really it's own theme, you know? Nightmare Before Christmas is definitely a Halloween movie, but I wouldn't call it a horror movie by any stretch of the imagination. Gauntlet Dark Legacy (PS2/Xbox/GameCube) This is an enhanced remake of Gauntlet Legends that has been improved in every single way. This is one of my favorite games of all time, and it seems designed to be played around Halloween. The gameplay is classic Gauntlet at its finest. Hordes of monsters spawn from spawners and don't stop until you destroy the spawners. One-to-four players goes against them, eating food and using magic potions while the narrator says things like "blue wizard needs food badly" and "I have not seen such bravery." The first world of this game is "The Forsaken Province" which is a farming village that has been taken over by zombies and maggots, so it already sets up the mood. But, while not every level is traditionally horror themed, the levels often feel appropriate for the season - whether it's fighting demonic knights in the dark castle dungeons or fighting blob monsters in a darkened sky dock. There's even a level called "Your Worst Nightmare". Not to mention, this game has one of the best video game soundtracks that I've ever heard: link And no Halloween soundtrack is complete without this one: link MediEvil 1 & 2 (PlayStation/PSP) This is The Nightmare Before Christmas of video games. In this action-adventure series, you play the skeleton Sir Dan on his quest to reclaim his honor. During a war with the battle Zanik he fell due to the first arrow. Now the guy is back and he's sent his minions of darkness throughout all of Gallowmere. The game is just as playful with its themes of horror as Nightmare. You'll be fighting everything from zombies to murderous townspeople to possessed pumpkins. No Halloween is really complete without it. Zombies Ate My Neighbors (SNES/Genesis) '''This game is just arcade-style fun. Each level presents you with 10 neighbors to find. You've got to get to them before your enemies do. And there are more than just zombies. This game has everything - giant ants, aliens, blobs, clones, werewolves (which can really fuck off), and chainsaw killers. If it's ever been in a B-movie, it's in this game. This game can get really difficult though. Every enemy has a weakness, and some enemies like the giant ants can only be hurt by the weaknesses, so there's a lot of weapons that require experimenting. And if a neighbor dies on one level, they're gone on the next level. Until you get a set number of points to bring them back. '''Project Zomboid (PC) Of all of the "zombie apocalypse" simulators, this one is the best. I don't think there's really a contest. Every other one I've played - from DayZ to Dead State - had some major issues that kept me from truly enjoying the game. The game plays out like the Sims. You've got to stay fed, well-rested, and protected... while fighting off zombies. The game is an isometric view, which may be a turn off for some. But if you can get beyond that, you can truly have the zombie apocalypse that you want. And yes, there is multiplayer. And so many mods. So many mods. I'd personally recommend the vehicle mod. Unlike most games on this list - there is no way to win. The only goal is to live as long as possible, almost in a high-score kind of way, except it doesn't record your high score. You know, that's one thing that I'd really like to see in future updates of this game - some kind of records of your accomplishments. Or at least "longest life." My record is around 60 days, but if you know what you're doing, you can live in this game for years. The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask (N64 & 3DS) Quite honestly, I'm surprised that this game doesn't already have a Halloween association. I mean, it has horror associations with the million creepypastas about it. But honestly, this... really fits the idea of Halloween. For starters, everyone is getting ready to celebrate the Festival of Time a celebration where everyone wears special masks. Oh yeah, that's another thing - in this game you're constantly collecting masks. Which... I hear is an important part of Halloween. But besides that, the game does get creepy. Everyone is terrified of the impending apocalypse. But beyond that, in the game you fight ghost-alien things and go through the land where the dead refuse to rest. It's a tradition at this point where I play this game once a year in October because it fits with the themes that much. '''Luigi's Mansion & Dark Moon (GameCube & 3DS) '''Well... duh ----- So... what games do you play around Halloween that most people wouldn't think of? Games that you don't think October is complete without. They don't have to be "traditional horror games" or they could be.